Last night, Mamacita was packed. The bar was two deep with Marina party people, and there was a wait for a table — in other words, it was a standard Friday night at the Chestnut Street hotspot and perennial Chronicle Top 100 restaurant.

It was also the last night of business for Mamacita.

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Mamacita has closed, putting an abrupt and surprising end to 12 years of business for a restaurant that played a prominent role in the rise of upscale, bar-centric Mexican restaurants in San Francisco. The prime space will remain under the control of Mamacita partners Stryker Scales and chef Sam Josi, who will open a new restaurant there. Nate Valentine, another Mamacita partner, will not be involved, as he turns his focus to his new projects in the Ruby Skye space, August Hall and Fifth Arrow.

"Mamacita was a joy to be a part of, and to the end was a busy and successful restaurant," said partner Nate Valentine via text. Valentine would not go into detail regarding any further reasons for the closure. In some ways, the sudden shuttering of Mamacita mirrors last summer's Umami closure, which was run by the same group.

"Sam, Styker and I have always believed in going out on top and controlling the path, as opposed to letting business factors control our restaurant's destiny," Valentine said. "So with that in mind we decided it was the right time to close this chapter."

Some Mamacita signatures may reappear on menus at sister restaurants Padrecito and Tipsy Pig.

No word yet on what Scales and Josi have planned for the Chestnut Street space. Further updates as warranted.